The Basque History of the World : The Story of a Nation

Straddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradiction-they are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques' language, Euskera-the most ancient in Europe-is related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence.Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout this fascinating book. Like Cod, The Basque History of the World blends human stories with economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale.Among the Basques' greatest accomplishments: • Exploration-the first man to circumnavigate the globe, Juan Sebastián de Elcano, was a Basque and the Basques were the second Europeans, after the Vikings, in North America• Gastronomy and agriculture-they were the first Europeans to eat corn and chili peppers and cultivate tobacco, and were among the first to use chocolate• Religion-Ignatius Loyola, a Basque, founded the Jesuit religious order• Business and politics-they introduced capitalism and modern commercial banking to southern Europe• Recreation-they invented beach resorts, jai alai, and racing regattas, and were the first Europeans to play sports with balls

the Basques Are "a Mythical People, Almost An Imagined People," Writes Kurlansky. His Passion For The Basque People—their Heroes And Commoners Alike—and His Exuberant Eye For Detail Shine Throughout The Basque History Of The World. Like Kurlansky's Celebrated Book, Cod, It Blends Human, Economic, Political, Literary, And Culinary History Into A Rich And Heroic Tale.

publishers Weekly

straddling The Border Of Southern France And Northern Spain, The Land Of The Basques Has Long Been Home To A People Who Had No Country Of Their Own But Have Always Viewed Themselves As A Nation. In This Marvelous Work Of Cultural History And Appreciation, Kurlansky Traces Basque History From Pre-roman Times, When Basques Worked As The Mercenaries Of Carthage, To The Region's Recent Renaissance In Language And Arts. Along The Way, He Explains How The Basques Came To Be Among Europe's First Whalers, Capitalists, Explorers, Industrialists And International Traders. As He Did In Cod, Kurlansky Fuses Political And Economic History With Delightful Digressions Into Cultural And Culinary Traditions (several Delicious Recipes Are Included). The Book Is As Politically Loaded With Opinion As It Is Culturally Informative: Kurlansky Expresses Sympathy For The Cause Of Basque Independence, Arguing That Many Of Spain's Current Policies Toward Its Basque Minority Are Holdovers From The Repressive Franco Regime. He Also Tends To Accept The Claim That The Basques Are The Original Europeans, Largely On The Ground That Euskera, The Basque Language, Appears To Have No Linguistic Relative And Is Likely The Oldest European Language Still Spoken. For All The Ground It Covers, This Wildly Informative Work Is A Marvel Of Clarity, Glittering With Unusual Facts And Marked By Penetrating Insights Into A People Always Making Complex Choices About The Degree Of Independence That Was Needed To Preserve Their Way Of Life, While Looking To The Rest Of The World For Commercial Opportunities To Ensure Their Prosperity. 56 Illustrations, 6 Maps, 10 Recipes. Agent, Charlotte Sheedy Agency. 5-city Author Tour. (oct.) Fyi: Cod Received The James Beard Award For Excellence In Food Writing And Was A New York Public Library Best Book Of 1997. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

'A lively, anecdotal, all-encompassing history of Basque ingenuity and achievement.'—Atlantic MonthlyFrom Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod, Salt, Birdseye, and Paper—the illuminating story of an ancient and enigmatic peopleStraddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradiction—they are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques'language, Euskera—the most ancient in Europe—is related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence, as displayed by new cookbooks like chefs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero's The Basque Book and restaurateur Jose Pizarro's Basque. Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout this fascinating book. Like Cod, The Basque History of the World, blends human stories with economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale. Among the Basques'greatest accomplishments: • Exploration—the first man to circumnavigate the globe, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, was a Basque and the Basques were the second Europeans, after the Vikings, in North America • Gastronomy and agriculture—they were the first Europeans to eat corn and chili peppers and cultivate tobacco, and were among the first to use chocolate • Religion—Ignatius Loyola, a Basque, founded the Jesuit religious order • Business and politics—they introduced capitalism and modern commercial banking to southern Europe • Recreation—they invented beach resorts, jai alai, and racing regattas, and were the first Europeans to play sports with balls'Entertaining and instructive... [Kurlansky's] approach is unorthodox, mixing history with anecdotes, poems with recipes.” –The New York Times Book Review From Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod, Salt, and Birdseyethe illuminating story of an ancient and enigmatic people. Straddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradictionthey are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques' language, Euskerathe most ancient in Europeis related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence. Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout this fascinating book. Like Cod , The Basque History of the World ,blends human stories with economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale. Among the Basques' greatest accomplishments: Explorationthe first man to circumnavigate the globe, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, was a Basque and the Basques were the second Europeans, after the Vikings, in North America Gastronomy and agriculturethey were the first Europeans to eat corn and chili peppers and cultivate tobacco, and were among the first to use chocolate ReligionIgnatius Loyola, a Basque, founded the Jesuit religious order Business and politicsthey introduced capitalism and modern commercial banking to southern Europe Recreationthey invented beach resorts, jai alai, and racing regattas, and were the first Europeans to play sports with balls A delectable portrait of an uncanny, indomitable nation. Newsday Exciting, Illuminating, and thought provoking. The Boston Globe "Entertaining and instructive [Kurlanskys] approach is unorthodox, mixing history with anecdotes, poems with recipes. The New York Times Book Review "The Basque History of the World is the illuminating story of an ancient and enigmatic people. Signs of their civilization existed well before the arrival of the Romans in 218 B.C., and though theories abound, no one has ever been able to determine their origins. Their ancient tongue, Euskera, is equally mysterious: It is the oldest living European language, and is related to no other language on Earth."--BOOK JACKET. "Yet despite their obscure origins and small numbers (2.4 million people today), the Basques have had a profound impact on Europe and the world for more than 2,000 years. Never seeking more land, they have nonetheless fiercely defended their own against invaders ranging from the Celts and Visigoths to Napoleon and Franco. They have always been a paradoxical blend of inbred tradition and worldly ambition, preserving their indigenous legal code, cuisine, literature - even their own hat and shoe - while at the same time striving immodestly to be leaders in the world."--BOOK JACKET. Straddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradiction--they are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques' language, Euskera--the most ancient in Europe--is related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence, as displayed by new cookbooks like chefs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero's The Basque Book and restaurateur Jose Pizarro's Basque. Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout this fascinating book. Like Cod, The Basque History of the World, blends human stories with economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale THE FIRST TIME I heard the secret tongue, the ancient and forbidden language of the Basques, was in the Hotel Eskualduna in St.-Jean-de-Luz. THE GAME THE rest of the world knows as jai alai was invented in the French Basque town of St.-Pee-sur-Nivelle.